Governor control.



M. S. LARSON.

GOVERNOR CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED 00130. I916.

1,243,078. Patented Oct. 16,1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET I M. S. LARSON.

GOVERNOR CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30, 1916.

Patented Oct. 16,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 MARTIN S. LARSON, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO EMERSON-BRANTINGI-IAM COMPANY, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

GOVERNOR oonrnon.

particular reference to governor control mechanism therefor. It has been the practice to provide a stationary gas engine with a camoperated rocking beam for actuating the discharge valve and to control the operation of this beam by a governor in a manner to prevent the beam from function- 'ing when the engine exceeds a predetermined speed, to thus maintain the engine at a given running speed. The control means I heretofore provided for this purpose have been unsatisfactory in that they do not allow free action of the governor, nor do they permit of as practical and effectual adjustments as is desired for setting the engine to run at any of a wide range of speeds.

The primary object of my invention, therefore, is to overcome these objections by the provision of an improved engine control device whereby a simple adjustment may be made whether the engine is at rest or in.

operation, for the purpose of accurately fixing the running speed of the engine at any rate Within a range of predetermine high and low speeds. I I

Another object is to provide an engine control device especially adapted for practical application to stationary engines and being of novel design so as to be easily operated and capable of production at a comparatively low cost. Referring to the draw- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stationary as engine showing my improvements attached thereto, with parts of the engine unnecessary to an understanding of the invention being omitted;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the engine, with parts broken away, and others omitted; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the control mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

The engine shown in the drawings is of Specification of L ever reen. Patented.0ct.16, 1917;

Application filed October 30, 1916. Serial No. 128,614.

conventional design and simply for pur-' poses of illustration to enable an understanding of my improvements. It is a four cycle stationary gas engine employing in this instance a make and break system of ignition, and consists of a base and crank case 4-, cylinder 5, with the head 6 of which is associated the valve mechanism comprising intake and discharge valves 7 and 8 respectively, and an igniter rod 9, and the crank shaft 11 equipped with fly wheels 12. Since the construction and operation of these parts of gas engines are well known in the art, I have deemed it unnecessary to illustrate them, except in a general way.

The discharge valve 8 being of the lift type is held seated by an expansion spring 13 and is adapted to be lifted by means of a rocking beam generally designated by reference character 14:, pivotally mounted intermediate its ends onth'e' engine base at 15 and equipped with an adjusting screw 16 normally positioned as shown at a distance below the lower end of the valve stem 8 and adapted, when the beam 14: is rocked, to engage the valve stem and lift the valve. The

igniter rod, also connected to the rocking beam 1 1, will be actuated thereby to cause ignition. It might be herementioned, however, that the invention isin no way limited to the use of a make'and break igniter,

since other suitable and well known ignition systems might beused. The means employed for rocking the beam 14L consists of a cam designated generally by reference character 17 fixed to the shaft 18 mounted on the crank case 1 and equipped with a spur gear 19 with which a spur gear 21 fixed to the crank shaft meshes. A roller 22 mounted on the end 23 of the rocking beam is constantly urged into engagement with the periphery of the cam 17 by a contractile spring 2 1 connecting'the rockin beam to a fixed part, so that as the cam 13 is revolved, upon operation of the engine, the rocking beam will be actuated thereby to operate the igniter and discharge valve. With the parts in the position shown the v piston is just at the firing point, or about to commence its third stroke, so that upon revolving the cam 17 slightly in a counterfrom the cylinder.

Governor controlled means is provided for governing the speed of the engine'and consists, generally stated, of a governor, preferably of the fly-ball type, and means operating between the, governor and rocking beam 14 to prevent normal functioning thereof when the engine exceeds a predeterminedspeed. In other words, after the engine has been put in operation the rockngbeam 14 Wlll be regularly actuated by ,the cam 17 until a predetermined maximum speed hasbeen reached, whereupon the governor will cause, through the agency'of the intermediate means mentioned, the end'23 of the rocking beam 14 to be held in its lowermost position so as to be unaffected by the cam17 and to hold the discharge valve open, allowing air tobe drawn through the discharge valve on the suction stroke instead of a gaseous mixture being drawn in through the intake valve, thereby preventing an explosion, and thus decreasing the speed of the engine until it reaches the normalrunningspeed desired. For example, during the idle running of an engine the governor would so cause the rockinglink 14 to be actuated that but one explosion would occur during 6 or 8 successive firing strokes of the engine. As a result, but a 'minimum amount offuel and electric current 1S-COI1S11II16C1. When a load or' fullrated load is applied, it willbe obvious that the explosions will occur more steadily in order to maintain the desired engine speed, and underthis condition the rocking beam 14 might be actuated so as to only prevent one explosion during 6 or 8 successive firing strokes. V

My improvements relate to the means operable between the governor and rocking beam for governing operation of the latter and for permitting various adjustments to be made at will while the engine is in operation to maintain the engine at any of 'a plurality of different predetermined running speeds, Which means will now be described. The governor, 'asmentioned, may be of the fly-balltype of suitable design, and consists,.as shown somewhat briefly, of the weighted arm 27 pivotally mounted at 2S on brackets 29 bolted to the spokes of one of the fly wheels, thevweighted arms being connected on diametrically opposite sides of the hub of the fly wheel by a pair of contractile springs 31 (only one of which is v shown) for holding the" arms in their in nermost positions. Motion is transmitted from the governor arms 27 to a collar 32 splined on the crank shaft, through the intermediary of the arms 33 fixed to the pivot shafts 23 of the governor, and-engaging at their free ends in an annular groove 34 in said collar. Means operated by sliding movement of the collar 32 is caused to en gage and hold the end 23 of the rocking beam 14 in a lowermost position in a manner presently apparent and for the purpose of preventing functioning of said beam as mentioned above. Thismeans consists of a pair of bell-crank levers designated generally by reference characters 35 and 36 pivotally supported on a stub shaft 37 rigidly secured in a. fixed support 38 by means ofa set screw 39'. As indicated in Fig. 1, the lever or part 36 pivotally mounted on the stub shaft 37 is formed with a fixed sleeve 41 uponwhichthe part 35 is rotatably mounted so that both parts may swing as an integral part on the stub shaft 37.

'The arm 42 of the part 35 isequipped with a block 43 located in an annular groove 44 in the collar 32' andits other arm 45, extending laterally so that its free end is in vertical alinement with the free end of the arm 46 of the part 36, isequipped with an adjusting screw 47 threadedly engaged therewith and passing loosely through the.

elongated opening 48 in the arm 46. The adjusting screw 47 has fixed. thereto above the arm. 46 an, adjusting knob or finger piece 49 against which the free end of the arm 46 is constantly urged by an expansion spring 51 interposed between the' arms 45 in a' block 55 adjustably secured to'the rocking beam 14 by means of a bolt 56 located in a vertical slot in said beam, the block 55 being stepped on an adjustable abutment 57 so as not to be jarred from set position by the impact of the detent 53 engaging in the notch 54. 7

From the foregoing constructionit will be apparent that the detent 53 will be moved back and forth in an arcuate path upon lengthwisemovement of the governor-operated collar 32,'the parts 35 and 36-moving as an integral part. It follows, therefore, that when the engine reaches a predetermined speed the weighted arms 27 of the governor will be thrown out a suificient distance to cause the detent 53 to be moved into the path of the notch 54., the detent, however,

not entering said path until the rocking beam has'been moved by the portion 26 of the cam 17 to its lowermost position. Thus,

when the predetermined speed mentioned has been reached, the detent 53 will by engagement in the notch 5a, hold the rock ing beam in a lowered position to hold the discharge valve open and cause the next possible explosion to be missed. If the speed of the engine is not sufficiently slackened by the missing of one explosion, the detent 53 will be still held in the notch 5% until a sufficient number of possible explosions have been missed to cause the weighted governor arms to be drawn in and the detent withdrawn from engagement with the rocking beam. The rocking beam will now function normally and explosions will occur in succession until the predetermined speed mentioned is exceeded, whereupon the governor will cause the speed to be slackened by preventing the rocking beam from functioning normally in the manner just described. It will be obvious that by relatively adjusting the parts 85 and 36 by means of the finger piece 1-9, the detent 53 may be moved relatively to the arm 42 that is actuated by the governor, into greater or less proximity to the block 55 so that the detent will be engaged in the notch 54 either sooner or later when slower or faster speeds have been attained by the engine, as the case may be. In other words, by adjusting the finger piece 49, the maximum speed at which it is desired the engine should run may bevaried to a nicety so that any constant operating speed within the range of the engine may be obtained. Furthermore, this adjustment may be made when the engine is in operation equally as well as when it is at rest, so that the desired speed may be very quickly and easily fixed.

F or the purpose of preventing adjustments to be made beyond the high and low speed limits for which the particular engine is best adapted, I have provided an adjustable stop 58 in the form of locked nuts on the bolt 47, which limits the low speed adjustment, and an adjusting screw 59 carried by the arm 45 adapted to limit the high speed adjustment. It will be obvious that to set the parts to operate the engine at its lowest speed the finger piece 49 would be turned until the stop 58 engaged the underside of the arm 45. This would cause the detent 53 to be moved relatively close to the block 55 so that but slight expanding movement of the weighted governor arms will be necessary to engage the detent in the notch 5% for the purpose of maintaining a constant low speed after the manner described above. The converse action takes place when the finger piece 49 is turned in the reverse direction until the arm d9 abuts agains the stop 59. which determines the as an integral part, but at any time the said parts may be relatively adjusted to change the running speed of the engine.

I claim:

1. In an engine, the combination with a governor and valve-actuating means, of means operated by the governor and having a make-and-brake connection with the valve mechanism to prevent normal functioning thereof when the engine exceeds a predetermined speed, including adjustable means for varying the operative effect thereof, and adjustable means independent of the first named adjustable means for limiting the range of adjustment thereof so as to limit the high and low speed range of the engine.

2. In an engine, the combination with a governor and a value-actuating part, of means operated between the governor and said valve-actuating part for governing movement of the latter, including adjustable means for varying the operative effect of said governor operated means so as to cause the engine to be operated at will at higher or lower speeds, and additional adj ustable means for determining the high and low speed range or limit of the engine independently of the first adjustment.

3. In an engine, the combination with a governor and valve-actuating mechanism, of means operated by the governor to prevent normal functioning of the valve mechanism when the engine exceeds a predetermined speed, consisting of a pair of pivotally associated parts, one of which is connected with the governor and the other of which is adapted to coiiperate with said valveactuating mechanism, an adjustable connection between said parts for varying the relative relation thereof to thereby vary the operative effect of the governor upon the valve-actuating mechanism, and means independent of said adjustment for determining the high and low speed limits of the engine as controlled through the governoractuated parts and being adjustable to vary both the said high and low speed limits.

4. In an engine, the combination with a governor and a valve-actuating part, of means operating between the governor and valve-actuating part for governing movement of the latter, comprising a pair of levers co-axially pivotally mounted intermediate their ends, and adjustable connection between the levers at one end thereof for bold ing them in fixed relation so that they will oscillate in unison and may be relatively adjusted, adjustable stops for limiting relative adjustment of said levers in both directions, one of the levers being connected at its opposite end with the governor so as to be actuated thereby and the other lever being movable at its opposite end into and out of engagement with said valve-actuating part by the operation of the governor.

5. In an engine, the combination with a governor and valve-actuating mechanism, of means operated by the governor and having a make-and-brake connection With the valve :mechanism to prevent normal functioning thereof When the engine exceeds av predetermined speed, comprising a pivotally mounted part connected Withthe governor so as to be oscillated by movement thereof, a part adjustably connected to and movable With the pivotally mounted part and serving to cooperate, in said make-and-brake connection With the valve mechanism for preventing normal functioning thereof, and adjustable means independent of said adjustable connection between said pivoted and adjustable parts for limiting relative adjustment therebetween in one direction, whereby to limit the operating speed ofthe engine as controlled by said parts and Whereby the limit of said speed may be varied through adjustment of said means.

6. In an engine, the combination With a governor and valve-actuating part, of means ernor, the adjustable connection betweensaid pivoted and adjustable parts consisting of a member havingv a shoulder andbeing threadedly engaged in one of the parts, the other part having anopening. therein through- WlllCll said member loosely passes, and a spring interposed between the parts and holding the loosely engaged part against said shoulder on the adjustable member whereby the parts are adapted to be oscillated together by action ofthe governor and whereby said member may be revolved to relatively adjust the parts to thereby vary the control of said valve-actuating par-t.

MARTIN .s. mason.

Gopies'ot this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addresslhgvtlie Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D; 0. 

